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Unconditional love of a mother7/21/2023 I am so proud of her willingness to open her heart to babies who need to feel unconditional love from the moment they enter this world, and yet it breaks my heart to know the pain she feels in giving herself to a child with whom she most probably will have to part. “I am learning it is OK to cry in public,” my daughter confessed to her dear friend who offered her a shoulder.Īs her mother, my heart was conflicted. If we are vulnerable enough to share our sadness with those who matter to us, it not only allows them the opportunity to lend their strength in our weakness but also gives them permission to be vulnerable themselves. Often viewed as a sign of weakness or a private matter, tears can be healing and strengthening. It seems to me that this baby brought to my daughter the gift of tears. Foster care is a far more nuanced, painful enterprise than I ever understood and I am so impressed by and grateful for those who minister to infants and children in this vitally important way. The laughter and tears that ensued seemed to ease the difficult goodbye. With wisdom beyond their years, my daughter and son-in-law offered breakfast to the family on the day of the exchange and we all sat around the table sharing stories about the baby and the preferences she has already developed. My own heart felt torn, not just for this little one or my daughter and her husband, but for the family she returns to who has lamented the nearly four months bonding they lost. ![]() ![]() When I met her it was just days before they would return the baby into the care of a family member and I marveled at Susanne’s and Martin’s strength and grace. Like many foster parents, they wrestled with the desire to love her with abandon and the need to protect their own hearts, erring on the side of unconditional love. With great excitement, they welcomed her into their home and hearts for as long as she needed their care. They had never seen anyone so tiny but they were not afraid. She came into their care when she was only three days old and weighed just four pounds.
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